Acute and Chronic Exposure to 900 MHz Radio Frequency Radiation Activates p38/JNK-mediated MAPK Pathway in Rat Testis

Abstract

Overview

The rapid global increase in electronic device usage, such as mobile phones, has led to significantly heightened exposure to radio frequency radiation (RFR). This study focuses on evaluating the effects of 900 MHz RFR exposure on rat testis over acute and chronic periods, exploring cellular proliferation, death balances, and the involvement of the JNK/p38 MAPK signaling pathway.

Findings

• Exposure: Rats were exposed to 900 MHz RFR for 2 hours a day, 5 days a week, over 1 week (acute) or 10 weeks (chronic).
• Evaluation Metrics: Analysis included proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Bcl-xL, cleaved caspase-3, phosphorylated-JNK (p-JNK), and phosphorylated-p38 (p-p38), along with histopathology and TUNEL analysis.
• Results highlighted no histopathological differences between the control and RFR groups in both periods. Despite the unchanged PCNA expression, there were notable period-dependent alterations in cleaved caspase-3 and Bcl-xL levels.
• Significantly, TUNEL analysis demonstrated increased apoptosis in the RFR group during the acute period, with no differences in the chronic period.
• Both p-p38 and p-JNK protein expressions were considerably elevated in the RFR groups across both periods, signifying a clear activation of the p38/JNK-mediated MAPK pathway due to RFR exposure.

Conclusion

This study presents important insights into the cellular and molecular responses of rat testis to 900 MHz RFR, pointing to significant alterations during acute exposures with possible implications for male reproductive health and infertility. The identified activation of the MAPK pathway may be central to understanding and mitigating the biological impacts of RFR.